https://anchor.fm/inthebin/episodes/Kenneth-Burkes-The-Virtues-and-Limitations-of-Debunking-et26ah

This essay is one of my absolute favorites to teach in argumentation. My friend Dan and I take it on in an hour long conversation on the latest podcast.

Every year the students complain about this essay mostly because of Burke’s eccentric writing style. I’ve tried different ways of teaching it over the years, but part of the difficulty is that each time you read the essay something new pops out at you.

Burke’s essay really speaks to our moment where those involved in political argument take great pleasure from a strategy of total eradication of the other side, person, utterance – you name it. In Burke’s essay he explains why this strategy does not advance understanding.

As always feel free to leave a comment either here or at the Anchor website, where you can record an audio comment that we will play on the next show. We’d love to hear from you.